


Teenage Wasteland

by BigBadLittleRed



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Fluff, Hurt Jonathan Byers, Jonathan and Nancy are broken up, M/M, Pre-Slash, Season 3 Ficlet, hand-holding, hurt/comfort i suppose, sorta - Freeform, starcourt mall - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-21
Updated: 2019-03-21
Packaged: 2019-11-26 16:46:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18183176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BigBadLittleRed/pseuds/BigBadLittleRed
Summary: Jonathan goes out of his way to get Steve, Steve can only return the favor.





	Teenage Wasteland

**Author's Note:**

> ( Welcome back everyone! In honor of the season 3 trailer, I made this short ficlet. I had an idea similar to this after the release of the Starcourt Mall teaser, but I never got around to doing it. So, here you go! I'm trying to get back into the characters shoes, so bear with me! )

The Starcourt Mall is a scene of chaos, where once there had been wonder and awe there is only horror and gut-wrenching fear. Hawkins has once more fallen victim to the clutches of the Upside Down, its creatures seeping into their dimension and wreaking havoc on the citizens of their small town. Throughout the large building, the sound of humans screaming and creatures shrieking in chorus with them.

 

Jonathan bolts into Sam Goody’s, trying to remain hidden as something large and lumbering slithers past the doorway. He can hear the echoes of screams upstairs and grits his teeth in fear and worry for his brother and all his little friends, Nancy as well. Although they had broken up a month before, he still cared for her, in some bitter and damaged way. He had come down to find Steve, who was supposed to be working at Scoops Ahoy.

 

He’s crouched behind a shelf of records, trying to figure out his next move to reach the ice cream parlor across the big open hall. There’s a moment of pure terror when someone grabs him from behind and smacks a hand over his mouth. He screams regardless, the noise muffling his surprised shout before a voice is in his ear.

 

“It’s me! Don’t scream, it’s me!” Steve hisses into his ear, and Jonathan immediately pushes out of the other’s grip to spin around on his knees.

 

“What the fuck!” Jonathan shoves at his shoulder, Steve flashes him a shaky smile, trying for a teasing grin and missing it by a mile.

 

“Sorry, I saw you duck in here and I booked it.” He mutters, pushing his shitty uniform hat off his head and gripping it in one tense fist. “Where are the kids?” He asks, as if hoping that they had gotten out before all hell had broken loose.

 

“Nancy’s upstairs with them,” He says, wiping a hand over his face.

 

“Why the hell did you leave them up there?!” Steve demands with a loud whisper.

 

“Because Dustin said you were down here!” He fires back, Steve looks a little stunned. “I know we don’t talk all that much, but I’m not going to leave you to die.” He can’t look Steve in the eye, so he peers around the edge of the shelf and out of the store instead.

 

“Thanks, Jonny.” He murmurs.

 

“Jonathan,” He grouses, because this had been a losing battle for months.

 

Despite his constant protests, Steve shows no sign of letting up on the nickname or apologizing. He had been calling Jonathan that for a while now, every time they saw each other in passing. He had gone from hesitant half-waves and murmurs to bright grins and excited greetings. It was like the second Jonathan stopped glaring at him, Steve decided they were friends.

 

They rarely spoke outside of anything other than hello’s and how-are-you’s, but Jonathan found he didn’t hate the guy anymore. He didn’t have the energy to hate Steve, because Steve seemed almost fond of Jonathan. It made hating him almost pointless, and he accidently had started to grow fond of the wild-haired dumbass in response.

 

“How are we going to get past all this shit?” Steve asks, leaning up against Jonathan’s back to look out over his head. His hand is warm and sweaty against Jonathan’s already damp back, his knee brushing Jonathan’s hip.

 

“You’re sweaty,” He grunts, Steve’s hand unsticks from his back.

 

“Sorry,” He whispers, but doesn’t move away. “I think we might have to run for it.” He says, letting out a indescribable and most likely involuntary nervous-sounding noise as a disgusting glob of a creature sluggishly inches past the storefront with a low moan.

 

“How fast can you run?” Jonathan asks, barely turning his head to glance back.

 

“I’m an athlete, how fast can you run?” Steve quips.

 

“I’m in cross-country.” He retorts, the responding silence is embarrassingly satisfying.

 

“Oh.” Jonathan can’t help but snort. “Then let’s go.” He reaches up and squeezes Jonathan’s shoulder, who tries to shake him off but he’s already moving away.

 

They zigzag through the store, weaving behind shelves and stands until they reach the entrance of the store. The screaming has started to die down, which is terrifying, and the otherworldly noises are only increasing. Jonathan is crouched behind Steve this time, the both of them slowly standing now that they are more firmly hidden against a wall.

 

“Ready?” Steve reaches back, his sweaty hand grabs hold of Jonathan’s wrist. He wants to ask what the hell Steve thinks he’s doing, but then they’re both racing through the strip of mall like maniacs.

 

They run past a few creatures, a couple of incapacitated bodies that Jonathan prays aren’t actually dead bodies. Steve screams as he launches over something immobile but very gelatinous, and his grip on Jonathan has him staggering through it. It coats his ankles and sneakers, and he rips from Steve in response as he jolts to a stop.

 

“What is that?!” Steve demands in wide-eyed distress as Jonathan steps out of it, the reddish black goo squishing in his socks.

 

Something behind Jonathan snarls and then Jonathan is the one taking off. He grabs Steve’s hand as he passes, yanking him along behind him in an imitation of them just two years before in Jonathan’s house. He slides a little as they reach the escalator, and then they’re running up the still-running mobile stairs. As they reach the top, Jonathan is yanked in one direction and his shoulder hurts a little as he staggers behind Steve’s sudden lead.

 

He spots Mike leaning out from a clothing rack in Gadzooks, and Steve leads them directly inside. They skid to a halt, spotting a few others hiding inside as they sink behind the cashier’s counter. Jonathan has to press close to completely hide himself, putting himself in a similar position from earlier, with the roles reversed. But Steve doesn’t seem to mind, in fact he’s still holding Jonathan’s hand.

 

“We have to get out of here.” Dustin insists, Jonathan sighs to himself in response because that is a bit obvious for their situation.

 

“No shit, dipshit.” Steve says, voicing Jonathan’s thoughts.

 

Lucas and Max scurry behind the counter, Will and Eleven following shortly. Nancy appears from the back, all of them crammed close together behind the small counter. Jonathan and Steve are still mildly out of breath from their sprinting, and Steve’s hand is like a death grip on Jonathan’s. He sees Will eye where they meet, shooting Jonathan a wary and puzzled expression. He simply shakes his head in response and refuses to see if Nancy’s looking as well.

 

“Why are you holding hands?” Dustin asks in exasperation, Steve scoffs and releases Jonathan finally. His hand is damp with both of their sweat now, and they each wipe their hands on their chests.

 

“I wasn’t going to lose him and have to go back.” Steve snaps.

 

“What’s on your shoes?” Max asks, pointing towards Jonathan’s sneakers in mild disgust.

 

“It looks like decaying flesh.” Lucas adds unhelpfully.

 

“Kinda does.” Mike nods his head, the others muttering their agreements.

 

“Will you shut up about the shoes?!” Nancy hisses, they all fall quiet. “Anybody got a plan?” She asks, and at the all around quiet that follows, she sighs. “Fine, I’ll think of something.” She says.

 

“Thank god, because I wouldn’t trust Harrington to make a plan that didn’t involve miming out scenes from Star Wars.” A new voice speaks up, Jonathan turns his head to scowl at the girl in the outfit very similar to Steve’s that had crept up next to him.

 

“Who are you?” Max asks without hiding her immediate distaste in the girl.

 

She had developed a bit of a crush on Steve, and although she was pretty cool about it, she tended to stick up for him when the kids picked on him. Jonathan knew this from Will, who was pretty close with Max and Eleven. Jonathan can’t blame the girl, Steve had a goofy and charming disposition that everybody seemed to like.

 

“Robin, my friends, guys, my coworker Robin.” Steve says quickly and without finesse.

 

“Can we please get out of here?” Mike snaps.

 

“Nancy, your call.” Steve sinks onto his butt, leaning back against the counter. Jonathan adjusts down onto his knees, the gunk on his shoes starting to seep into the back of his jeans where his heels were pressed against his ass.

 

“Gimme a minute.” She sighs, pressing a hand to her temple as she tries to think. “You, come with me.” She points to Robin, who nods her head and shuffles into the back with her without an objection.

 

“If we die in here, I just wanna say that you guys are my best friends.” Dustin says, always the dramatic one.

 

“No offense, Dusty, but shut the fuck up.” Steve sighs, his head dropping back against the counter and tilting to the side to look at Jonathan as the others shift away from them to discuss amongst themselves quietly. “Hi.” He murmurs.

 

“Hey,” Jonathan replies awkwardly, pulling his legs out from underneath him to stretch them out now that there was more room.

 

“Thanks,” Steve says, and at Jonathan’s raised eyebrow he continues on. “F-For coming to get me, not everyone would have done that.” He shrugs, hooking his arms around his knees and glancing away.

 

“Dustin would have come down to get you himself if I hadn’t.” Jonathan offers, Steve smiles and looks impossibly fond.

 

“He’s a good kid,” He says, and it’s not the first time he’s said that to Jonathan. “All of them are.” He turns his head, to where the kids seem to be formulating their own plan.

 

There’s silence between them for a few moments, only the disgusting noises of creatures all throughout the mall and the faint staticky feeling of two worlds splitting open at the seams. This could be the end of the world, and they’re having their everyday casual chatter like Steve had dropped in to pick up Will for some get-together for the kids. That was just how they were, intensely casual and more than a little awkward.

 

“Hey,” He turns his head, finding Steve staring at his knees but definitely talking to him from the brief glance in his direction to make sure Jonathan is listening. “If we get out of here, do you maybe want to… Get some pizza together or something?” He asks.

 

“Pizza?” Jonathan echoes him in confusion, dumbfounded at the flush filling Steve’s cheeks.

 

“Forget it, it’s stupid.” Steve mutters, Jonathan frowns and catches his shoulder before he can move away.

 

“Like…” He inhales and meets Steve’s eyes, feeling his own face growing red with embarrassment. “A date?” His voice is impossibly soft, fearful of being overheard by the others or mocked by Steve for his misinterpretation.

 

“If that’s not too weird,” Steve says with a small shrug. He looks so goofy in his sailor outfit, he had lost his hat in their mad dash for the escalator and his hair is messy from it having been pressed down. But Jonathan can’t deny that he looks good despite it all, in some weird way.

 

“We fight interdimensional monsters and foil shady government plots on a regular basis, Steve.” He replies, Steve chuckles nervously and nods his head grudgingly. “I think this counts as decently mundane.” He jokes.

 

“You don’t seem like a mundane kind of guy.” Steve says, his smile starting to seem a bit more confident.

 

“I’m not as mysterious as my social ineptitude makes me seem.” Jonathan replies with a grin, Steve’s shoulders jerk with an almost silent laugh, he exhales in amusement.

 

“So it’s a date?” Steve asks, more certain of himself now.

 

“If we live, yeah.” Jonathan says, and then Steve’s hand brushes over Jonathan’s, resting atop it gently.

 

“Got it.” Steve nods his head, the both of them sharing fond looks with one another.

 

-

 

Jonathan isn’t sure how long it’s been, but the plan went awry and now he’s caked in that disgusting flesh-like substance and hanging upside down. He can’t remember exactly what happened, he just remembered a whole lot of screaming and getting hit in the head. It went dark after that, and he had just woken up like this, completely trapped.

 

The stuff he’s covered in smells like death and burning rubber, sticks to his skin and his clothes like sap. His arms are trapped against his sides as the blood pooling in his head and the knot on his skull from a rather intense hit makes him dizzy, and he wonders if he might just not make it to that date.

 

Something clatters, and then suddenly a figure is leaning out of the ceiling upside down to grin at him. Steve, his smile still managing to be irresistibly charming. He’s got a rope harness clipped to his chest, a stupid looking helmet that must be from the rock-climbing exhibit not far from here.

 

“Steve,” He murmurs, the young man reaches out and grabs hold of Jonathan’s shoulders. “Leave me.” He mumbles as the other starts to pull at him.

 

The gunk on Jonathan’s clothes make him slip right through Steve’s hands, but he seems determined. He starts prying away at some of the stuff, trying to wipe what he can from Jonathan’s upper torso. If he removes too much, Jonathan just might fall about fifteen feet to the hard marble flooring of the ground below.

 

“Are you trying to wimp out on our date, Jonny?” He jokes, Jonathan can’t even dignify it with a response as Steve pulls out a rag and wipes his hands before lifting back up into the ceiling tile.

 

There are a few hushed whispers, and then Steve is sliding out of the ceiling once more, feet first this time. He takes a harness that’s handed down to him, clipping it to the front of his own and then pulling at Jonathan’s arms. It takes a few minutes, and then Jonathan is fully attached to Steve by a shitty looking harness.

 

“Whose plan is this?” He grumbles as Steve starts scraping at the gunk on Jonathan once more.

 

“Mine, what’s wrong with it?” Steve asks innocently, he lets out a soft squeak when he pries loose something that looks vaguely like a limb. He drops the thing like it burnt him, it falls to the ground below with a distant splat.

 

“Should have gotten out.” Jonathan’s tired, the blood on his temple is starting to cake up and dry but his head is still pounding.

 

“Leave no man behind, you should know that.” Jonathan starts to slide, not enough slime to hold his weight. He reaches out clumsily and scrabbles at Steve’s shirt, the other grabbing for his arms in his own hurry.

 

His legs slip out and Jonathan is given a bit of whiplash as he falls a bit and is jerked upright by the harness. Steve lets out a quiet grunt, wrapping strong arms under Jonathan’s arms to keep him close. He’s slightly lower, a small cord between them, but his head automatically drops to Steve’s chest weakly as his blood starts to circulate back down.

 

“You’re okay,” Steve lets out a breathless chuckle, adjusts his hold and peers up. Jonathan tilts his head and can see up into the ceiling tile now, where Will and Nancy are peering down at them with small smiles. “Pull us up!” He hisses.

 

It takes a few minutes to get them up into the ceiling, which is a lot sturdier than Jonathan originally figured. Everyone is tucked into the small crawl space, and Jonathan is hauled up and held carefully in the V of Steve’s legs as the others move away from the pulley system, they had fashioned to haul them up. Will hugs Jonathan, smiling with tears in his eyes as he pulls away.

 

“Let’s go home.” He says with a relieved exhale, and Jonathan knows it won’t be that easy and that this is far from over, but the thought is nice.

 

“We’ll come back for you two in a second, just stay here.” Nancy says, already taking the lead to crawl away towards another sliver of light a few feet away in the small space.

 

The others file out, and then Steve and Jonathan are left in the dim light, covered in rank smelling slime. Steve reaches between them to shakily unhook their harnesses, and Jonathan shifts stiffly to help him get his own off. He feels like he could take a nap for a hundred years, but he doesn’t dare fall asleep for fear of something bad happening the second his eyes close.

 

“I don’t like toppings on my pizza.” He murmurs into the dark, Steve adjusts his arms around Jonathan’s waist and pulls him further up against his chest so he’s not so slouched.

 

“Should we get ice cream, too?” Steve humors him, Jonathan hums under his breath sleepily.

 

“Rocky road.” He settles an arm on the one around his waist, tipping his head back against Steve’s shoulder.

 

“A man with looks and good taste in ice cream, I’m impressed.” He says playfully.

 

“It’s one of my many redeeming qualities.” His voice is a little slurred, but they’re both snickering together like school boys at it.

 

“Good to know,” There’s the sound of a few of the others returning, and Steve leans in to Jonathan’s ear. “I’m gonna get you home safe, okay?” He whispers.

 

“I know.” Jonathan says, confident in the other’s abilities.

 

He trusts Steve far more than he probably should, but that’s something for future him to analyze later when he’s not covered in a viscous fluid and suffering from a head injury. Instead, he just moves when the others ask him, ready to make the final break for the outside.

 

After all, he has a date to go on.


End file.
